el.the miko-第103部分

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rals；　to　galvanize　the　Red　Army；　to　begin　his　coup；　and　he　could　not　read　it。　It　was　unbelievable！
　For　a　moment　he　thought　he　might　go　mad　with　frustration。　Then　he　took　several　deep　breaths　to　calm　his　racing　pulse。　One；　two；　three。　Set　his　mind　to　working。
　〃Linnear　is　ninja；〃　Koten　said　softly。　〃He　got　his　training　at　the　Tenshin　Shodien　Katori。　It　is　conceivable。。。〃　He　allowed　his　voice　to　trail　off。
　Hope　exploded　like　a　lightning　flash　across　Protorov's　mind。　Yes。　Linnear　was　his　only　hope　now。　It　had　been　many　years　since　he　had　lived　at　the　ryu　but　still；　traditions　in　Japan　rarely　die。　Protorov　knew　that　there　was　at　least　some　chance　that　the　code　would　be　the　same。　On　the　surface　it　seemed　a　desperate　gamble；　but　he　was　now　working　under　a　severe　time　element。　Mironenko　was　gathering　the　generals。　In　six　days'　time　they　would　meet　and　he　had　to　be　there　to　present　his　plan　to　them；　he　had　to　deliver　Tenchi　to　them　or　lose　them　forever。　With　the　Neanderthals　who　inhabited　the　GRU　there　could　never　be　another　opening；　not；　at　least；　for　the　KGB。
　Protorov　spun　and　strode　from　the　small　room；　calling　for　the　doctor　and　his　magic　needle。
　〃I　need　to　speak　with　the　subject　now；〃　he　said　to　the　bespectacled　physician。
　〃Now？〃　The　doctor's　eyes　were　round　and　startled　behind　his　thick　lenses。　〃But　you　told　me　you　were　giving　me　forty…eight　hours　for　the　softening…up　process。〃
　〃I　no　longer　have　the　time；〃　Protorov　snapped。　〃The　real　world；　Doctor；　is　infinitely　mutable。　You　must　get　used　to　these　sudden　changes。〃
　〃But　I　don't　know　how　much　I　can　do　on　this　short　a　notice；〃　the　doctor　said；　falling　into　step　with　Protorov。　〃I'm　getting　erratic　readings　from　the　cerebral　cortex；　I　can't　make　head　nor　tail　of　them。　I　can't　guarantee　how　far　he's　under；　if　at　all。〃
　〃Then　double　the　dose；〃　Protorov　ordered。　〃Triple　it；　I　don't　care。　Just　so　long　as　he　talks　now。〃
　The　doctor　was　frantic。　〃But　that　strength　will　surely　kill　him　in　fifteen　minutes；　twenty　at　the　outside。〃
　Protorov　nodded。　〃That's　all　the　time　I'll　need；　Doctor。　Please　go　to　work　on　him　at　once。〃
　〃His　name　is　Gordon　Minck　and　he　came　down　to　Key　West　every　so　often　to　be　with　me。〃
　〃What　exactly　do　you　mean　by　'be　with　me。'〃
　〃He　loved　the　way　I　went　down　on　him；〃　Alix　Logan　said　somewhat　nastily。　〃Does　that　answer　your　question？〃
　〃I　think　it　does；〃　Croaker　said。
　They　were　in　the　car；　heading　through　the　fumy　innards　of　the　Lincoln　Tunnel　on　their　way　to　Matty　the　Mouth's　place。
　He　considered　the　nature　of　her　response　for　a　moment。　〃I'm　sorry；〃　he　said。　〃I　didn't　know　that　was　a　sore　spot。〃
　Alix　put　her　head　back　against　the　seat；　closing　her　eyes。　Her　thick　blond　hair　spread　like　sea　foam　around　her　cheeks。　〃What　do　you　think？　A　guy　who's　strong　and　handsome；　powerful　in　an…oh；　I　don't　know…interior　sort　of　way；　goes　all　googley…eyed　over　me。　He's　a　dangerous　man；　you　can　see　that　on　his　face　like　a　scar　or　a　ridge　of　pockmarks。
　'〃I　should　have　you　killed；'　he　tells　me；　'but　I　can't。　I　don't　ever　want　to　think　I'll　never　see　that　face　again。'〃
　〃Oh；　very　cute；〃　Croaker　cut　in。　〃Why　didn't　you　tell　me　this　before？〃
　〃Shut　up；〃　Alix　snapped。　〃I'm　telling　you　now；　aren't　I？〃
　Fluorescent　light　and　shadow　fell　over　them　in　a　rhythmic　pattern；　like　notes　controlled　by　a　metronome。
　〃'I　don't　want　to　lose　you；'　he　said；　'but　I'm　in　a　business　where　I　can't　afford　to　make　a　mistake。'　He　looked　at　me　in　a　way　that　made　my　insides　go　cold。　'Will　you　be　a　mistake；　Alix？'
　'〃No；　I　won't；'　I　told　him。　'Is　that　a　promise？'　he　asked。　'Yes；'　1　said；　and　I　meant　it。〃　She　began　to　cry。　〃And　now　look　what　I've　done。〃　Sobbing　fully。　〃It's　all　your　fault。〃　It　was　the　wail　of　a　lost　and　confused　child。
　Croaker　didn't　think　he　needed　to　refute　that；　it　was　too　irrational。　Instead；　he　changed　the　subject　slightly。　〃So　who's　this　mystery　man　Minck。〃
　〃Minck；〃　Alix　Logan　said。　〃Minck；　Minck；　Minck。〃　It　was　like　a　new　toy　which　she　did　not　want　to　give　up。　Then　she　decided。　〃Gordon　Minck　is　the　man　who　killed　Angela　Didion。〃
　Almost　drove　the　car　into　the　side　of　the　tunnel。　
　
　〃What？〃
　　His　head　began　to　ache　and　there　was　a　fearful　red　light　behind　his　eyes。　〃You　must　be　mistaken。〃　His　voice　was　a　dry　rustle；　no　more　than　a　whisper。　It　was　all　he　could　muster　at　the　moment。　But　what　if　she's　right？　he　asked　himself。　All　these　months　hiding；　living　in　fear　of　discovery。　He　was　a　pariah　at　the　New　York　City　Police　Department；　he　no　longer　even　existed　save　as　〃Tex〃　Bristol。　He　had　lied；　stolen；　gone　beyond　the　law　he　had　so　many　long　years　ago　sworn　to　uphold　and　protect。　What　had　happened　to　him？　What　madness　had　possessed　him？　He　felt　like　a　malaria　victim　who　had　just　awakened　from　an　endless　fever　through　which　he　had　been　raving。　He　had　believed　so　mightily　in　this　truth：　that　Raphael　Tomkin　had　murdered　Angela　Didion　in　cold　blood。　He　had　been　so　sure。　All　the　facts　had　pointed　to　it。　Now　they　darted　like　tiny　frightened　fish；　weaving　away　from　him　as　he　sought　again　to　pile　them；　to　reassure　himself　that　he　was　right　and　Alix　was　wrong。
　Alix　sniffed；　wiped　at　her　nose。　〃It's　like　this；〃　she　said；　ignoring　his　interruption。　〃Tomkin　made　the　mistake　of　talking　to　Angela　about　his　connection　with　Minck；　and　Angela；　the　bitch；　had　a　memory　as　deep　as　the　ocean　floor。　She　remembered　everything。　That　was　part　of　her　scam；　how　she　could　get　whatever　she　wanted　from　almost　everyone。　She　remembered　what　they　did　not　want　known。
　〃So　of　course　there　came　a　day　when　she　threw　this　knowledge　up　at　Tomkin。　I　don't　really　know　why。　Perhaps　there　was　a　diamond　she　wanted　that　he　wouldn't　give　her；　maybe　he　wasn't　ing　by　enough；　or　maybe　he　was　dropping　in　too　much。　You　could　never　tell　with　Angela；　she　blew　so　hot　and　cold。
　〃Anyway；　she　could　always　spot　a　lever　and　she　knew　she　had　a　powerful　one　with　Tomkin。　She　wanted　something　from　him　and　if　he　wouldn't　do　it；　she　told　him　she'd　go　to　the　papers　with　what　she　had　on　him。　It　was　S。O。P。　with　her。
　〃However；　this　time　I　don't　think　she　really　understood　the　nature　of　the　beast　she　had　by　the　tail。　Tomkin　shut　up　immediately；　refusing　to　get　into　an　argument　with　her；　he　saw　right　away　that　she　was　intractable。
　〃So　he　called　Minck　and　Minck　sent　out　his　hounds　to　snuff　Angela。　There　was　no　negotiating；　no　thinking　it　over。　Whatever　Minck　and　Tomkin　were　into　was　far　too　big。
　〃Of　course；　Tomkin　had　to　be　there　when　it　went　down。　Angela　was　so　paranoid　she　wouldn't've　opened　the　door　to　Minck's　people。　Tomkin　was　the　front　man。　But　once　she　unlatched　the　chain；　the　three　of　them　came　in。〃
　〃Was　Tomkin　actually　there　when　she　bought　it？〃　He　trembled　as　he　voiced　it；　knowing　how　important　her　answer　was　to　him。
　〃In　the　apartment　but　not　in　the　bedroom。　He　was　at　the　bar；　taking　an　anesthetic。　His　hands　shook　so　much　he　got　as　much　Scotch　on　the　counter　as　he　did　in　his　glass。　I　had　the　angle　from　where　I　was　hiding　inside　Angela's　clothes　closet。　I　was　just　ing　out　of　the　bathroom　when　she　went　to　answer　the　door。〃　Her　eyes　were　bleak；　almost　as　if　they　had　lost　their　rich　color。　〃1　heard　Angela's　high…pitched　yelp。　It　sounded　like　a　dog　being　whipped。〃　She　shrugged。　〃I　don't　know　why；　but　I　ducked　into　the　closet　right　away。〃
　〃So　you　were　an　eyewitness　all　right。〃
　〃There　was　nothing　mean　about　what　they　did　to　her。〃　Her　voice；　like　her　eyes；　had　bee　washed　out。　Maybe；　Croaker　thought；　it　was　her　way　of　protecting　herself　from　something　no　one　should　see。　He　took　her　hand　in　his；　fingers　entwined。　'They　were　very。。。　businesslike　about　what　they　did　to　her。　It　took　no　time。　I　remember；　just　afterwards；　being　so　shocked　by　that。　Such　a　monstrous　thing。。。　it　should　take　a　long　time　to　undo　life。〃　Her　eyes　closed　for　a　moment。　Incipient　tears　glistened　along　the　lashes。　〃Afterward；　they　made　it　look　like　something　else；　of　course。　Not　an　execution。　Then　they　went　into　the　living　room　and　thoroughly　cleaned　up　after　Tomkin。　They　didn't　find　me　because　I　crawled　into　a　secret　partment　Angela　had　built　into　the　back　of　her　closet　to　store　her　furs　and　jewelry；　she　loved　being　close　to　them。　1　had　to　curl　up　into　a　ball。　It　was　stifling　and　I　couldn't　hear　anything。　I　was　terrified　that　at　any　moment　they'd　discover　me。
　〃They　didn't　then；　but　they　must've　known　about　my　relationship　with　Angela　because　they　found　me　a　week　after　I　flew　down　to　Key　West。　In　the　meantime；　they'd　done　their　homework。　They　knew　where　I　was　that　night；　they　knew　I'd　seen　it　all。　Minck's　men　are　professionals。〃
　〃So　I've　e　to　learn；〃　Croaker　said　distantly。　He　put　both　hands　on　the　wheel。　So　the　truth　was　close。。。　but　not　close　enough。　His　inner　laugh　was　ironic　and　bitter。　The　truth　was　nothing　so　clearcut　as　black　and　white。　Tomkin　hadn't　killed　Angela；　he　had　only　set　her　up。　He　didn't　order　it；　didn't　execute　that　order。　He　merely　went　along　with　it；　stood　by；　a　wall　away；　while　it　was　happening。　Guilty　as　charged；　your　honor。　The　voice　echoed　hollowly　in　Croaker's　mind。　But　what　was　the　charge？　Not　murder　in　the　second　degree；　not　even　manslaughter。　Instead；　Tomkin　had　been　an　accessory　to　murder。　It　had　not　been　he　who　had　put　pressure　on　the　missioner　to　sweep　the　Didion　murder　under　the　police　blotter。　That　had　e　all　the　way　from　Washington；　D。C。　From　Minck　himself。　
　Cloak…and…dagger　Minck；　Croaker　thought　bitterly。　How　many　murders　could　he　be　held　accountable　for？　Angela　Didion's　was　just　one　in　a　long　line。　He　felt　deflated　and　saddened　by　the　vast　gray　areas　of　the　world；　within　one　of　which　he　now　found　himself。　It　was　a　bog　without　form　or　substance；　where　direction　became　hazy　before　fading　out　altogether。　Where　to　go　now　that　Angela　Didion's　murderer　was　beyond　him？　For　he　knew　without　doubt　that　he　could　never　touch　Minck　on　this　charge　or　any　other。　He　was　defeated。
　Sunshine　hit　them　like　a　fist　on　the　Manhattan　side　of　the　tunnel；　bouncing　off　the　hood　like　a　starblaze。　Croaker　headed　right；　toward　Thirty…fourth　Street；　where　he　turned　left　for　several　long　blocks；　then　right　after　the　light　changed；　heading　downtown　on　Second　Avenue。　The　city　beckoned　them　with　grimy　fingers。
　Anger　bubbled　inside　him；　turned　without　his　knowing　on　Alix。　Women's　motivations　were　so